Means for actuating steering gear and for analogous purposes



S. D. OLSEN March 25, 1930.

MEANS FOR ACTUATING STEERING GEAR AND FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES Filed Jan.12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l lnulllll I I l l l1 s. D. OLSEN 1,752,022

MEANS FOR ACTUATING STEERING GEAR AND FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES March 25,1930.

Filed Jan. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 waste.

i Patented Mar. 25, 1930 SIMON DOKK OLSEN, OF WALTHAMSTOW, ENGLAND MEANSFOR ACTUATING STEERING GEAR AND FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES Application filedJanuary 12, 1925, Serial No.

This invention has reference to hydraulic or like transmission systems,and is applicable to ships steering gear and to analogous purposes, suchas the working of turrets or dock '5 gates for instance.

A feature of the invention is that the rudder post (or the like) isoperated through the medium of rams or plungers acting on a cam in sucha way that only true rotary or turning forces are applied to the rudderpost, whereby all sidewise or lateral pressure or strains are reduced oravoided altogether. In addition to this the cam permits of the forcebeing varied for different positions of the rudder .15 or otherapparatus, according to the resistance at that particular position, andis always ready to start instantly when required.

The hydraulic transmission comprises a system in which the workingpressure is generated by a continuously running pump combined with ahigh pressure accumulator and arranged in a closed circuit comprisingthe rams and a control valve, so that the exhaustis returned to the pumpinstead of going to To this end the low-pressure side of the systemcomprises a reservoir arrangement of the air-bottle type for instance)in which the exhaust can accumulate ready to be repumped back graduallyto the high-pressure side. This reservoir is connected with the pumpthrough a loaded non-return valve.

This system enables a small motor running continuously to deal with aload which would otherwise require a much larger motor, and is alwaysready to start instantly under the maximum pressure, whilst beingconstantly held when at rest without any play or backlash. Intheaccompanying diagrammatic drawmgs:

Fig. 1 is a general view of a hydraulic steering gear according to theview.

Fig. 2 is a development of the edge cam by which the rudder is operated.a

Fig. 3 is a part sectional view through the cam, rollers and one of thecylinders. According to this example, the cam is formed by asemi-circular turret or segmental cylindrical piece a standing onedge on0 rollers (such as b) or the like, and connected 1 ,908, and in GreatBritain January 24, 1924.

The thrust against one slope of the cam serves to impart the requiredmotion to the rudder in one direction, whilst the thrust against theother half or slope of the cam serves for the opposite directlon.

The movements of the cam a will be clear from Fig. 2 in which a and arepresent the extreme or hard-over positions of the bottom point orangle of the cam, a representing of course the position of this anglewhen the rudder is amidships and the rollers e are in the middle of thecam slopes.

The contour of each half or slope cl (Z1 of the cam may be so shaped asto give the desired graduations in force or range of movement abovereferred to. The shape shown in full lines in Fig. 2 is very suitablefor ordinary steering purposes. It differs only slightly from thetheoretical shapesee dotted lines'to avoid having a flat surface underthe roller in the midway position.

The rollers b on which the cam a rests serve to resist or take up any ofthe endwise thrust or downward pressure from the rams which is notconverted into circular motion by the cam, instead of such thrust beingtransmitted to the rudder post. The axles of these rollers rest inbearings 6 carried by the base plate 5 of the apparatus.

Thus lateral or bending strains on the rudder post 0 are obviated, andthe only force which is applied thereto is the actual torque or turningmovement of the cam.

In the normal position (as when in the case of a rudder the latter isdirectly amidships and therefore not acting) the ram rollers press onthe middle of each slope or cam curve d (Z the rams f themselves beingapproximately at right angles to the average slope of the two sides ofthe V-cam, so that they converge upwardly. The ram cylinders a, in the;well known way.

friction rollers 25, instead ofbeing in a direct axial line with thecylinders f are placed a little further apart so as to be slightly out iof e x c l ne of th u t.- Te h s n e b st.

resultsthe cam slopes Z. (l instead of being straight have. the r owerhal es mad sl ght y bulging or: convex, whilst theu-pper halves aresligtly lQCBSSeClor concave, as shown inEig. 2.

his; d ag am qo r spe s the. movement Q e09 on. ea h. id f th mld-sh ppe iti n i he rud e z- The the et c l h p s sh w in dotted lines, butthis gives an almosthorizontal bearing surface immediately under theroller at the middle point on either side. The full line position istherefore preferred in pra ice, ereby he urfa e at h m d l point isbrought somewhat more nearly nor? mat to he, hr st, and t us tarting ineither direction. is facilitated.

The hydraulic pump his connected with the flow and return pipes 71 iswhich a e pro,-.

vided. with air-bottles or accumulators], m, of which there may be oneor moreto. each pipe. The admission of the-power-transmittingmedium onliquid, (oil or water). to the rams. is regulated by any suitable formof COIllZhOlLVfilVQ n and following-up or hunting valve gear a operatedby thesteering Wheel 0.- and mesh' -g. with a, rack pen. the cam body Orthe valve, n may be operated by suitable connections from t rudder: Pe nny other c n enien in anner; I. Th svel in urn s conn ted w h the ermsby pipesi and k 1 In the. xampl show it. s Pi$ 0l1 lv s and; is itherubular 0r hesop n Pas ages connecting he paces, at. the. top and bottom.of its: cylinder- It is, saa g ehg d Pasties the P 96; i

that; in; its; upper n s muse ro itien connected with 11 both. and; is?just shgh-tly area .se a to alsooonnestwithi; and (3 tslowest Be sition,only It is: eOmwfillfld at th piss being then open .to. exhaus th'mllghilighte of the Valve and the ipe Thealatter pipe isfconstantlyopen and isin fact Qll=$id the. .movementof the valve.

The. pump 7 electric or other motor; 9. The.return flow,

through lb back into the pump. is; controlled;

a ans r ches wa r loaded to gi a sli 'ghtjresistanoe (sayhal'fjanatmosphere).

hv "s GlIhVBIL continucusly by V orpressureg eservoir1,; hilst' harr gto the re-entry of the liquid into the pump chamber from the exhaustreservoir or airbottle m in which it first collects. This exhaustaccumulator we may be arranged for working at about atmospheric pressureand below the same. From the pump the liquid is forced, through anotherordinary non-return valvem up into the main accumulator Z on thehigh-pressure or delivery side i of the system again, where it may bestored up for .the nextoperation.

In connection with this, it may be mentioned that any air which may getinto the system, is carried round by the circulation and ultimatelycollects in the main reservoir or airsbottle, and thus any risk, oftrouble with air-blocksv in the pipes is entirely avoided;

' In. the pipe i may be provided a relief-valve i and to the return 1 eis a feed reservoir 9 s v I be connected to make up for small maylosses,

The working pressure may be varied; by these arrangements, that is,raised or lowered by admitting working fluid to or releasing L,

same from the system.

It will be understood that owingtothe action of the main accumulator,the rams are always kept tight down on, to the two cam edges, thusholding the cam. positively without shake or backlash. I

When the system is idle, the pump. goes on drawing liquid from theexhaust reservoir m until, owing to the reduction of pressure thereinand the action of the non-return valve q. loaded as just mentioned, thecounter re sistance is more than the normal suction of the pump (aboutone atmosphere) can overcome. The pump therefore simply begins to runidly. Immediatelyhowever that owing tothe reworking of the system, thecounterpressure or, partial-vacuum in the exhaust steady reservoir misrelieved, the pump is able to again take liquid in from thereturnsidela and pump it back into the pressure or deliv: ery side i.pump. is automatic and it can at a practically constant: speed withoutrequiringregulation or attention, whilst as. it can go on storing uppressure or motive liquid n. ur g erm. is id e, a mesh smaller pump a dmot will suffice than would otherwise be necessary; .Moreever atullsupply of motive liquid at a maximum pressure is available alwaysto. start-the em 'fi instant y h t h ye 'v gear n ismojved, instead otthe pump having e'hsgin at. that menisn t bu d-up h me sure. r v

When the d r' e th midwa-y PO t Q and the. valve is ai ed ate he postieh h wn in Figs. 1,. le t ha d. are f 00. nested through th pipes i?end tethe ta a ram. is. connected; threngh he raises Thus the deliveryaction of the be set to. run

. .15 the n er al th t the sysf to exhaust reservoir m. Thus theleft-hand roller 6 is forced downwards and moves the turret cam atowards the left, so operating the rudder. The roller of the right handcam at the same time is moved upwards by the upper right hand portion ofthe cam as the latter swings round, this movement being permitted by theescape of the working fluid through the valve to the exhaust reservoir.lVhen the desired position of the rudder is reached, the valve movesinto its middle position, in which both pipes 2' and 71: are just barelyopen so that pressure from the pipe 2' can act on both rams and hold therollers and the rest of the arrangement steady and without any backlashor play, as mentioned.

When the rudder is to be moved the opposite Way, the valve is lowereduntil the left-hand ram can exhaust through its pipe 2' into the top ofthe valve chamber and through the body of the valve a (which is tubularas stated) into the exhaust pipe is. The pipe 70 at this time is fullyopen to the supply pipe 2' and the full pressure comes on the right-handcam. As the exhaust pipe is constantly open, the valve does not need tocover it. It will be seen also that the pipe z is always more or lessopen through the valve itself, and either in communication with 2' or 70or with both, as above explained, according as the rudder is moving oris stationary.

Instead of being applied simply to moving rudders the arrangement may beemployed for moving other heavy loads such as gun turrets or dock gatesfor instance, and for other purposes where reliable transmission of ananalogous kind may be desired.

Obviously the above arrangements may be modified in various ways incarrying the invention into practice without departin from the generalnature thereof. Thus instead of the cam being semi-circular in shape, itmight be a complete ring or turret with the cam slopes and ramsduplicated at opposite sides.

I claim:

1. Means for operating ships steering gear and for analogous purposes,comprising a shaft to which onlya partial turn is to be given, asegmental cylindrical cam co-aXially mounted on said shaft, such camresting on one edge and having a V-shaped cam-like part at its otheredge, stationary hydraulic rams exerting their thrusts on opposite sidesof said recess, substantially as described.

2. Means for operating ships steering gear and for analogous purposes,comprising a shaft to which only a partial turn is to be given, asegmental cylindrical cam co-axially mounted on said shaft, such camresting on one edge and having a V-shaped cam-like recess in its otheredge, stationary hydraulic rams exerting their thrusts on opposite sidesof said recess, valves for controlling the action of said rams andgearing between the cylindrical cam and said valves for controlling thelatter, substantially as described.

3. Means for operating ships steering gear and for analogous purposes,comprising a segmental cam with a V-shaped cam-like part at one edge,stationary hydraulic rams acting counter to each other on opposite sidesof said part, and a valve arrangement which in its intermediate positionkeeps both rams under pressure, substantially as described.

4-. A motor arrangement for operating ships steering gear and foranalogous purposes, where a very powerful but only partlyrotary movementis required, comprising a turret-like segmental cylindrical cam mountedon the shaft which is to be turned and co-axial therewith, said camhaving two oppositely inclined cam-slopes forming a wideangled V-shapedgap in one of its edges, the other edge being flat to serve as thesupporting edge, and stationary inclined hydraulic rams situated at saidrecess and acting counter to each other on the opposite cam slopes in adirection towards the supporting de vices, substantially as described.

5. A motor for operating ships steering gear and for analogous purposes,comprising a shaft, a turret-like edge-cam carried by said shaft, suchcam being formed by a segment of a cylinder having oppositely inclinedcam slopes forming a wide-angled V-shaped recess in its upper edge andsaid segmental cam being co-axial with the shaft to be moved, inclinedhydraulic rams situated in the V-shaped recess and acting on theoppositely-inclined slopes of said cam, said rams straddling the cam andhaving slots through which the cam-edges can move, and means forsupporting the cam at its opposite edge so that it can travel freelythereon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SIMON DOKK OLSEN.

